On Monday, the New York Times published a column of mine which noted the historical similarities between the Women’s March and the GOP, and the Tea Party and the Democrats. While the fact that they decided to publish this piece of mine places the Times’ motto, “all the news that is fit to print” into serious jeopardy, what it does do is expose my work to an audience that does not ordinarily see it. I did not anticipate the reaction that it would receive.
To be honest, I fully expected more conservative readers to find the piece to be objectionable and to give it negative reviews. However, they did not. Instead, many conservatives reached out to me privately to tell me how I had hit the nail on the head and soberly outlined the problem we Republicans now face with the Women’s March movement (#humblebrag). Some friends on the left also sent me notes and, like Fox News liberal political commentator Julie Roginsky, even publicly praised the piece. It was nice to receive those kind words.
Of course, not every person loved my column. In fact, the vast majority of objections and criticism came from the far left. Their complaints were based on cherry picking information from the piece itself, complete misinterpretation of what was written, the belief that I wrote the column with some sinister motive, or that my being a Republican made me automatically despise and want to suppress women.
Here are some highlights sent to my complaint box by the looney left and some responses that may or may not have been sent:
Charge: Suggesting that Republicans show they care about women by making tampons exempt from sales tax shows that conservatives and I do not take women seriously.
In May 2016, the New York State Legislature made tampons and other feminine hygiene products exempt from sales tax in New York. Feminists and women’s rights advocates praised it for eliminating a “sexist tax on their [women’s] bodies,”
Charge: The column is designed to exploit and take advantage of women.
Ludicrous. The goal of the piece was to highlight a looming threat to Republicans. This grassroots movement could very well harm conservatives at the ballot box if we do not work with them on issues. At the same time, the left has become so indoctrinated by their leaders, they truly believe the fallacy that Republicans and conservatives have a war on women. Any attempt to disprove that false notion is viewed as a threat to the belief structure of the far left. If in the process of working with these groups we gain the support and votes of supporters of the Women’s March, then that’s an added bonus.
Charge: There were no meaningful solutions and policies offered in the piece.
To quote Joe Biden, “malarkey.” Democrats have crusaded for pay equity for women and equal pay for equal work. Not only was this proposed, but done so after highlighting how student debt hurts women more than men. If a woman and a man each have $35,000 in student loans to pay off at the same rate, it will take the woman longer to pay it off. Why? Because she will make less money than the man due to pay inequity. All of this is noted in the column.
Charge: Only pro-choice women can be feminists. There is no such thing as a pro-life feminist.
This is a fairly insulting and narrow train of thought. By this logic, the only issue pertaining to feminism is abortion. Pay equity, equal rights and other canons of the feminist movement have no relevance to feminism if you use this twisted train of thought. Pro-lifers can be feminists and many are. Like all women, they are not single issue voters.
The far left: accuse conservatives of having a war on women and then say they are not serious about women when we propose pro-women policies. Shaking my damn head.